Europe has indicated its readiness to respond swiftly and strongly to the US should the situation with the latter escalate as a result of President Trump’s new purchase of Greenland while the American president is at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, replied to Trump’s threats of new tariffs on the European countries opposing his Greenland plan saying that the European Union is “fully prepared to act if that is the case”. She also made these remarks in the context of rising diplomatic tensions and global order shifts, & emphasized Europe needing to further the strategic independence that is their goal.
Trump has threatened to levy a 10% tariff on “any and all goods” imported from eight European countries from February 1, with rates potentially rising to 25% by June, if they resist his plans regarding Greenland. The nations mentioned are the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands.
Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, encouraged a strong European reaction, proposing that the EU ponder over the deployment of its anti-coercion mechanism — frequently referred to as the “trade bazooka” — which permits the union to hit back at economic influences from foreign powers. The ex-NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen voiced the same opinion and advocated for a stronger position, saying that if Trump went for Greenland, NATO’s unity could be endangered.
Trump’s arrival in Davos has been delayed after Air Force One was forced to turn back to its Maryland base due to a “minor electrical issue.” The American leader then continued his trip on another plane and his arrival is now expected to be several hours late. Nevertheless, the meeting with world leaders and the keynote speech at the summit are on the schedule for Trump.
Even before the arrival of the US president, the matter of Greenland was already the hot topic at Davos. Greenland’s Industry Minister Naaja Nathanielsen said residents were “bewildered” by Trump’s demands, stressing that Greenlanders do not wish to become part of the United States.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has opted not to attend the forum, citing domestic energy challenges and shifting global focus away from Kyiv as Trump concentrates on Greenland.
As Trump prepares to address global leaders, European officials say dialogue remains their preference — but warn that unity, urgency and determination will guide the EU’s response if US trade threats become reality.
